Container tube support



United States Patent" CONTAINER TUBE SUPPORT William E. Morris, Evanston, and Theodore Gewecke, Glenview, lll., assignors to Baxter Laboratories, Inc., Morton Grove, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 27, 1952, Serial No. 311,922

'2 Claims. (Cl. 211-73) This invention relates to a container tube support, and more particularly to a card support for tubes adapted to be secured to a bail-equipped bottle. The invention is particularly useful in connection with a container .for blood plasma and the like, and for the supporting of test tubes employed in connection with the testing of blood.

An object of the invention is to provide a tube support adapted to support tubes firmly upon a container. A further object is to provide a collapsible support which may be readily attached to a bottle for firm support thereon While providing means for receiving test tubes upon the support. Yet another object is to provide a support adapted to be employed with a container having a neck portion and a bail secured to its bottom portion, the support being equipped with means for engaging the neck of the container and with means at its opposite end for engaging the bail of the container to provide a tube support. A still further object is to provide a card support adapted to receive a tube and needle combination to protect the same during shipment and adapted also to be unfolded to provide a tube support adapted to be secured firmly to a bottle. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a card support arranged for supporting a tube and needle structure; Fig. 2, a perspective view showing the tube and needle structure removed and the support folded for engagement with the container and receiving test tubes thereon; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the cardboard support after the board has been die cut and before the structure has been bent to the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4, a transverse sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 44 of Fig. 2.

While the holder may be formed, if desired, of separate parts secured together, we prefer to use a single die cut board 10, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In this structure, the board is provided with a top flange 11, which is adapted to be folded backward to almost a horizontal position for engagement with the neck 12 of a bottle 13. The flange 11 is provided with a central aperture 14 and we prefer to provide the flange 11 about the aperture 13 with a series of slits 15 for facilitating the extension of the flange over the neck 12 of the bottle 13.

The main body portion 16 of the support is provided centrally with two spaced tabs 17 which may be drawn forwardly to provide dividers, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 2. Below the tabs, we provide a scalloped band 18 which is adapted to be employed as a holder for articles, as will be later described. The band 18 extends laterally into the folded sides 19 of the support, whereby inward movement of the sides 19 cause the holder band 18 to move forwardly in spaced relation from the body wall 16 of the support. The board is cut along U-shaped line 20 to provide a tube platform 21, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, and the platform is provided with openings 22 adapted to receive test tubes 23. Near the bottom, the

support panel 16 is provided with a pair of spaced openings 24 connected to the bottom of the panel by an inclined slit 24a. The openings 24 are adapted to receive the bail 25, which isconnected by a band 26 to the bottom portion of the bottle 13.

The bottle 13 is a container used commonly for receiving and storing blood and later for dispensing the blood. The band 26 is received within an annular recess within the bottle, and the bail 25 is pivotally secured to the band 26. Since .this structure is well known, a further detailed description is believed unnecessary.

The container 13 may be of. any general type employed for dispensing liquids, but we have found that the invention herein is advantageously employed in connection with containers which are used for the collection of blood. Such a container is evacuated and sealed in evacuated condition, employing a rubber or resilient closure 27. A tube having'needles at both ends is employed to connect the interior of the container with the vein of the donor, one needle entering the vein and the other needle being passed through the resilient closure or diaphragm thereof so as to communicate with the interior of .the'container. The partial vacuum within the container facilitates the withdrawal of blood.

We-have found that the support 10 is useful for packaging and'protecting the tube and needles required for the withdrawal of'blood. In Fig. 1, the holder band 18 is shown receiving the tube 28, andthe protector tubes or needle holders .29 within which the needles are sealed in sterile condition. Since the tube 28 is sterilized prior to packaging and connected with needle adapters carrying sterilized needles, it is only necessary for the medical attendants to remove the protector tubes 29 about the needles and the tube and needles are immediately ready for use.

The support 10 may, after removal of the tube and needles, be folded into the position shown in Fig. 2 with the flange 11 turned rearwardly to bring the opening 14 thereof over the neck 12 of the bottle. Ordinarily, a metal closure cap or ring 30 engages the top portion of the neck and the flange 11 partially engages such a ring. The sides 19 of the support are swung inwardly, causing the band 18 to flex forwardly. At the same time, the tube holder platform 21 is swung to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, and the dividers 17 are swung forwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The test tubes 23 are thus received in spaced relation, with their lower ends extending through the openings 22 of the platform 21 and with the tubes held securely against the support by the band 18. The tendency for the side flanges 19 of the support to return to their normal position aligned with the body panel 16 causes the band 18 to be resiliently urged against the tubes to hold them tightly against the support. At the same time, the side flanges 19, into which the band 18 partially extends, form a means for flexing the band 18 forwardly when it is desired to insert or remove the tubes 23.

The lower portion of the body panel 16 is held inwardly against the bottle 13 by the engagement of bail 25 with the openings 24 in the lower portion of the panel, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus a very firm support is provided for the tubes upon the bottle, the weight and size of the bottle providing thus a very strong support for the tubes. After the tests have been made, the support 10 may be discarded and a new support used in connection with another group of containers.

The board or sheet structure 10 is preferably formed from one integral structure, but may, if desired, be formed by combining various parts. In the structure shown, we have provided a single die cut sheet of cardboard, from which the various supporting structures are struck. It will be understood that any suitable material such as cardboard, plastic, thin metal, and a variety of other materials, may be used, if desired.

While in the foregoing specification, we have shown a specific structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. A support structure adapted in one form to mount and protect a tube and needle combination, and in another form adapted to receive and support blood sample test tubes While said support is afllxed to a blood collec tion bottle comprising a flat board equipped with integral resilient side flanges normally urged to a position of alignment with said board, a band connecting said side flanges, said band being in different spaced relation to said board upon different flexing of said flanges, permitting ready insertion and removal of said tube and needle combination and said test tubes, an aperture in said board for affixing said board to the neck of a blood collection bottle, and spacer flanges in said board foldable out of alignment with said board, said spacer flanges, flanges, band, and board all cooperating to mount said test tubes securely against inadvertent displacement.

2. A support for a blood sample tube comprising a board equipped with resilient side flanges normally urged toward a position aligned with said board, a band connecting said side flanges, said band and said flanges cooperating with said board to mount blood sample test tubes, spacer flanges in said board above said band foldable out of alignment with said board, a horizontal platform foldable out of alignment with said board and apertured to receive said test tubes, and a rearwardly extending horizontal flange apertured to adapt it for receiving the neck of a blood collection bottle, the lower portion of said support being also provided with spaced apertures for receiving a bail attached to said bottle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,399 Upham Mar. 21, 1882 361,583 Fleming Apr. 19, 1887 1,086,200 Miehie Feb. 3, 1914 1,276,735 Devney Aug. 27, 1918 1,684,753 Zareko Sept. 18, 1928 1,687,859 Fontaine Oct. 16, 1928 1,941,071 Baxter Dec. 26, 1933 1,971,528 Klebanow Aug. 28, 1934 2,042,351 Mehatfey May 26, 1936 2,084,635 Friedrich et a1. June 22, 1937 2,135,093 Abrams Nov. 1, 1938 2,250,666 Godefroy July 29, 1941 2,340,719 Walter Feb. 1, 1944 2,341,570 Reachi Feb. 15, 1944 2,474,543 McLellan 1 June 28, 1949 2,598,492 Boes May 27, 1952 2,606,654 Davis et a1. Aug. 12, 1952 2,616,558 Kay Nov. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 375,775 France May 22, 1907 756,121 France May 26, 1933 

